Ernest Gary Gygax (July 27, 1938 – March 4, 2008)

Mark CMG · Mar 4, 2015

Let's pause to remember Gary on this day. Ernest Gary Gygax (July 27, 1938 – March 4, 2008) - Born in Chicago, IL, was best known for co-creating the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) with Dave Arneson in 1974. Gary is known to many as the father of the roleplaying game, D&D, and the fantasy setting of Greyhawk. Gary co-founded the International Federation of Wargamers (IFW) with Bill Speer and Scott Duncan in 1967. His interest particularly in the Medieval period prompted Gary to publish Chainmail in 1971, a miniatures wargame that simulated medieval-era tactical combat, originally written with hobby-shop owner Jeff Perren. His love of the fantasy fiction genre helped lead to his pioneering the new form of gaming, the D&D RPG. Aside from his work in RPGs, Gary wrote many fantasy fiction works including the Greyhawk Adventures series featuring Gord the Rogue as well as Artifact of Evil. Gary also worked on other RPGs like Dangerous Journeys and Lejendary Adventures. Gary passed away in 2008 after a long time living, creating, and gaming in Lake Geneva, WI. He will long be remembered as a loving father, a visionary, and a great man who loved great games. Thank you, Gary. You are missed.

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Morrus · Mar 4, 2015

If you can make that OP a little more substantive, Mark, I could promote it to a news item? I can't really promote a single line, unfortunately, but a short paragraph would do the trick!

Mark CMG · Mar 4, 2015

Morrus said:
If you can make that OP a little more substantive, Mark, I could promote it to a news item? I can't really promote a single line, unfortunately, but a short paragraph would do the trick!

It hardly does him justice but I tried to hit the major points that would be important to the fans both of Gary and this website. And thanks to Odhanan for some ideas on what to include!

Deuce Traveler · Mar 4, 2015

Thanks Gary, for everything. And thanks, ENWorld, for giving me a venue where he and I could converse before his death.

Cristian Andreu · Mar 4, 2015

Thank you, Gary, for all the adventures and endless hours of fun. Thanks to your work and that of Dave Arneson I've met some of the most valuable people in my life, had some of the most memorable experiences, and encountered an entire world of awe-inspiring imagination that has had such a deep impact in my time on this Earth that I couldn't imagine how it would have been otherwise.

I'm sure you're rolling 20s with the big guy upstairs. Meanwhile, your legacy will continue to grow down here on the ground, hopefully for many generations to come.

gamerprinter · Mar 4, 2015

I had the good fortune of accidentally meeting E.G.G. at Gencon 2007. I was working as a vendor, sharing the booth the Gamemaster's Syndicate of whom I had provided printed RPG maps for the display. On Satuday, during the con, I decided to sneak out to the side steps to smoke a cigarette and get off my feet. When on the outside stairs, I couldn't find my lighter and someone put a zippo lighter to my cigarette. When I looked at the badge of the man lighting my cigarette, it was Gary Gygax smoking a Swisher Sweet. I nearly fell off the stairs as soon as I recognized him. We chatted a while about played games over the years. Although it was short and sweet having a conversation with him felt momentous at the time. Only to loose him less than a year later, I felt honored to have gotten that opportunity before he passed.